Barossa Valley residents say $50 million Seppeltsfield Wines hotel doesn’t fit ‘culture’
A 12-storey luxury hotel set for the heart of one of the Barossa Valley’s most scenic locations does not fit the surrounding “culture”, according to locals.
Barossa, Clare & Gawler
Don't miss out on the headlines from Barossa, Clare & Gawler. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A $50 million, six-star luxury hotel proposed for the heart of one of the Barossa Valley’s most scenic locations has been met with backlash over its design, with residents saying it does not fit the “Barossa culture”.
Seppeltsfield Wines’ planned 12-storey Oscar development has also drawn criticism from the locals who argue there should have been wider consultation on the project.
The hotel, which was announced in April, is set to have 70 rooms including suites, penthouses and a skybar on the top level with 360-degree views of the Barossa Valley.
Seppeltsfield’s application is before Light Regional Council’s planning assessment panel and the winery plans to open the luxury hotel in 2022.
Nearby residents including Tracy Collins, who has started a Facebook group called ‘Taming Oscar’, have opposed the proposed design of the building.
“We welcome development, and if this had been put through with a Southern Ocean Lodge style, we would’ve been its greatest champion,” Ms Collins said.
“It is purely the design. When you look at the culture of the heritage of the Barossa, and when they think of the Barossa, that design doesn’t fit in with what we believe is the Barossa culture.
“If this goes ahead, that beautiful, iconic view of Seppeltsfield will be forever changed.
“That is one of the iconic views when people think of the Barossa Valley.”
The Oscar proposal was classed by Light Regional Council planning staff as a Category 2 development, meaning only owners or occupiers of adjacent land were required to be consulted.
Only 14 properties and their residents were given the option to make submissions about the development, and 11 of them did, including Ms Collins.
The Taming Oscar group argues the proposal should have been a Category 3 application and require wider public consultation.
“The major concern and why we’ve come together as a committee is because the word on the street is that a lot of people didn’t actually know about the development,” Ms Collins said.
“Those that did know thought this would never go through because there’s protection acts in place.
“The people are completely unaware of the process and the changes made to the process.
“What we’re hearing from a lot of people is they have to go through a lengthy process to get a shed approved, yet a development of this scale has been able to get quite quickly through.”
Two of the opposing Seppeltsfield residents have applied to the Environment, Resources and Development Court for a review of Light Regional Council’s decision to make it a Category 2 development application.
As a result the council has postponed any further hearings of the development application until the ERD Court matter has been determined.
Seppelsfield Wines has been contacted for comment.
